The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-29
CHARLESTON JoTTINGs.
Wharf improvements Proposed-The
Rice Municipal, Politics, ETC.

Wharf improvements Proposed-The
Rice Crop-Municipal Politics, ETC.
CHARLESTON, Aug. 27.-Charlestonians
who are clear-headed enough to look below
the surface of things, and who are candid
enough to admit an unpleasant truth when
it stares them in the face, say that the great
drawbacks to the prosperity Of the city are,
| first: want of unanimity on the part of
| its leading citizens, and, second--Qet it be
written in fear and trembling a want of
public spirit on the part of many of its
| wealthy citizens. This seems to be hard
thing to say of ones native city, but it isa
petrified truth which there is no possibility
Of evading.
| THE wHARVES.
| The meeting of the wharf property
| owners, which took place on Tuesday last,
| affords striking proof of this. Mention
has been made in this correspondence of the
project to extend the railroad to the
! wharves That this is absolutely necessary
to build up the city no one denies.
The project to extend the railroad tracks
along the water fronts was started three
years ago by some long headed citizens.
Mayor Courtenay took hold of it, and an
effort was made to carry il out, the plan
then being for the city to build the track
and allow all the railroads TO use it, At
once there was raised the cry that it was a
job. Some of the wharf owners refused to
sell the right of way through their prop
erty, and the plan was abandoned
the earthquake 1885 and things be-
gan to look pretty blue for old
Charleston. Still the city rallied; its waste
places were rebuilt and people began to
look up again 1t was hoped that by this
time some people who had large money
interests in the city would be awake to the
necessity of doing something to get rid of
the threatened stagnation, and the river
side railroad project was renewed. This
time, however, the city decided to abandon
the project Of undertaking the work itself,
but offered to grant the franchise to any
responsible company or corporation who
would undertake it.
The consent of the wharf owners was first
necessary, and it was for this reason that the
meeting was called on Tuesday last. OF the
result of that meeting the readers of the
MORNING NEWS have already been advised.
About 40 out of 100 wharf owners attended.
There was some quarreling and pickering,
and the meeting adjourned without doing
anything. A very rich wharf owner had
taken the opportunity offered by an enter
prising interviewer on the day of the meet
ing to throw thousand hogsheads of cold
water on the project, and thus succeeded in
railway project may be considered as dead,
and Charleston will try to go on in the old
rut for the next 200 years.
THE CRoGHAN MURDER CASE
There have been no new developments in
the Croghan murder case. The newspapers
have been filled with vague rumors about
an alleged clue, which it is said sundry citi-
zens are engaged in working up, but nobody
believes that the murderer of Croghan will
ever be brought to justice. 1t is said now
that the murdered man had drawn large
sum of money from the bank on the day of
the murder, and that the money has not
yet been found. This is the clue that the
citizens are said to be working up, and it is
also whispered that suspicion rests upon a
relative of the murdered man. But as the
relatives of the murdered man have offered
a reward of $500 for the arrest of his muir
derer, the theory does not seem to be able
to hold water.
THE RICE CROP
The reports usually prevalent at this sea-
son of the year are now being published, of
disasters to the rice crops on the Santee
From the best information obtainable it is
learned that these reports are exaggerated
Sifted down, it appears that the negro
sQuatters and tenants on north Santee are
in bad way, owing to the floods, but these
planters are mere scratchers and their
crops amount to very little. The large
plantations on Santee are said to be in ex-
cellent condition, with the prospect, barring
September gale, of making splendid crops
Nothing hes been heard of the invitation
sent to President Cleveland to visit Charles.
ton, and no answer is expected. Charleston
would like to have the President come. The
Mardi Gras will take place whether he
comes or not, and the committees are map
ping out an elaborate and attractive pro-
gramme of amuSementS-Oct. 81 has been
fixed upon as the date for the commence
ment of the festival
CITY POLITICS.
The municipal campaign is about to open
Mayor Courtenay will not run again. Thus
far the following candidates have appeared:
Capt. George D. Bryan, Alderman E. F.
Sweegsn, Alderman A. W. Eckel, ex-
Mayor w. w. Sale, Capt F. w. Wagner,
Alderman r. c. Barley, County Commits
sioner L. R. White, Mr.. j. A. Enslow mer-
chant, Maj. c. Theodore Ellis, Maj. f.
Willis (ex-Alderman), Mr.. j. w. Bal.nwell,
Col W. J. Gayer, Alderman c. S. Gadsden,
Alderman James F. Redding, John Nc
Elree, State Senator G. Lamb
BUST, and others whose names cannot
be now recalled with the usual stud of dark
horses II will be understood that tbs gem
tlemen whose names have been mentioned.
above have not appeared in the field, but
are only spoken of in connection with the
office. The young Democracy will proba-
bly, support Capt. Bryan, who is son of
ex-Judge Bryan, and has been Corporation
Counsel for a number of years.